Rams' Bruce is now in elite group

By Jim Thomas
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

(MCT)

ST. LOUIS - With 8 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter Sunday in San Diego, Isaac Bruce caught a 44-yard pass over the middle from Marc Bulger. With that reception, Bruce entered the top 10 on the NFL's career list for reception yards.

And that gave him a distinctive double-double in NFL annals. He now is in the NFL's top 10 in both reception yards (12,771) and receptions (845). The milestone was lost in the shuffle of a disappointing 38-24 loss to San Diego. But its significance was not lost on those at Rams Park.

"That's fantastic," wide receiver Torry Holt said. "That's just a testament to his hard work, to his focus on the game."

To borrow one of coach Scott Linehan's phrases, there are no ham `n' eggers on either list. Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Tim Brown, Marvin Harrison, Andre Reed, Irving Fryar - and now Bruce - are the only players on both lists.

"First of all, if you think about the entire NFL and the great players that play in this league, to be in one (top 10 list) is a huge accomplishment," Linehan said. "And then to look at the club he's in, that's unbelievable. It says a lot about what kind of a player he is."

It's one thing to be on the top 10 list in receptions. That shows a player has displayed an ability to get open and catch the football over a long period of time. To also be on the top 10 list in reception yards shows a player has been catching more than 7-yard hitch routes.

"I'm just honored to be a part of it," Bulger said. "I don't know how many yards I've thrown to him. But maybe one day, when people are talking about the great receivers, I can be on NFL Films throwing him some stuff.

"When you think about how many yards that is. ... I think a lot of receivers can look at his stats and can't believe he's had that many yards. It's just a tribute to him, with all those records. It seems like every week, he gets a new record."

Bruce normally doesn't like talking about milestones. He always seems to be living in the moment - looking ahead, rather than behind. But even he concedes that this latest accomplishment is something special.

"To be in the top 10, I won't sit here and say it's not an honor," he said. "It's an honor to be mentioned with those guys. But honestly, it feels like I'm just getting started."

Bruce turns 34 next Friday, an age approaching senior citizen status for most wide receivers. But he doesn't play that way - or approach the game that way.

"It's unbelievable to me how fast he plays the game at the age he's at," Linehan said. "It's hard for me to believe that he's been in the league that long."

Bruce still finds ways to get open and still finds ways to get behind defenders.

"It's the job that God gave me to do," Bruce said. "He showed me how to do it. He showed me how to get the best out of what I'm doing. And I'm having a great time doing it.

"I don't think about slowing down. I don't talk about slowing down. ... I don't ask questions, like the media would say, `Is he slowing down? We don't know if he can do it this year.' I don't talk that way.

"I talk only about edifying. So I'm lifting up myself through what I say. I believe in my words. And I constantly speak it. It may seem like I'm one of these quiet guys, but I'm constantly talking."

Following his hamstring issues in 1997 and `98, Bruce changed his offseason training regimen.

"I started doing more track work as opposed to football," Bruce said. "I started taking care of my body a lot more. Watching what I ate."

Watching what he ate took on a whole new meaning last season following his dislocated toe injury, which sidelined him for five games. Bruce started reading up on nutrition and has gone to an organic food diet.

"So it's helped what I've been doing," Bruce said. "I just became more conscious of what I was eating, and it's worked out."

It's worked out well, on a journey that may not end until Bruce finds himself in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"To me, you reach those two milestones (top 10 lists), and you've made the winning catch in the Super Bowl: Hall of Fame," Linehan said. "He's still playing, and we'll worry about that when he's done. But if that doesn't put a guy in the Hall of Fame, I don't know what does."

Again, this is a subject Bruce rarely discusses. But is the Hall of Fame important to him?

Re: Rams' Bruce is now in elite group

Re: Rams' Bruce is now in elite group

Originally Posted by RamFan_Til_I_Die

Bruce is the man. Hard to believe he is 34; hopefully he'll still be a Ram when he's 40.

i second that and i really believe Linehan knows how special Bruce is and how just having him there makes the Rams better,not to mention his play on the field has not fallen off one drop.this guy is a first ballot HOF'er,and if he plays another 4-6 years which is realistic if healthy his numbers will be astounding.